Govt may allow use of Covid vaccine in emergency situations: Harsh Vardhan

Warns of spike in cases during winter; China, UAE among the few countries have allowed such authorisation

Warning of increased transmission of coronavirus during the winter season, health minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday that the government is deliberating the emergency use authorisation of Covid vaccines in India. “Adequate safety and efficacy data is required for emergency-use authorisation vaccine approval for ensuring patient safety. Further course of action will depend on the data generated,” he said. 

Very few countries such as China and UAE have allowed such emergency authorisation for Covid vaccine. Russia has a temporary registration of its vaccine Sputnik V till January 2021, subject to phase-III trial. If a regulator sees a reasonable likelihood of a